23-1224a - 6-America - Addicted and Soft, Dependent and Lost, Scott Reynolds
Bible Readers: Scott Reynolds and Roger Raines
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(Sermon Notes by Scott Reynolds)
6-America - Addicted and Soft, Dependent and Lost
Summary of Transcript (0:03 - 28:18)
Scripture Readings:
- 1st Scripture Reading (0:03 - 0:24), Scott Reynolds
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- 1 Chronicles 12:32,
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The first scripture read is from 1 Chronicles 12:32, focusing on men from Issachar who understood their times and knew what Israel should do.
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- 2nd Scripture Reading (0:29 - 0:55), Roger Raines
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- Proverbs 29:18,
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The second scripture is from Proverbs 29:18, stating that without vision, people perish, but those who keep the law are blessed.
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The reading from Proverbs concludes with an emphasis on the importance of vision and adherence to the law.
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Sermon
Preacher: Scott Reynolds
(1:00 - 8:05) Introduction to Threat Series by Dr. Del Tackett
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Overview of the webinar series "Seven Threats of Our Time" by Dr. Del Tackett, discussing the sixth session titled "America Addicted and Soft, Dependent and Lost."
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Del emphasizes the importance of not paraphrasing his words due to the critical nature of the content for the church.
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He encourages the audience not to lose hope despite the converging threats, reminding them that hope is based on faith, not circumstances.
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Discusses the need for Christians to understand the times, similar to the sons of Issachar, to apply biblical wisdom.
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Highlights that these threats are interconnected, each building on the one before:
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First Threat: The rise of the scoffer, where logic and common sense are diminished, leading to cultural craziness.
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Second Threat: Homo deus and neochristianity, where personal feelings are seen as divine proclamations, aligning Christianity with self-centeredness.
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Third Threat: The loss of noble male and virtuous female roles, leading to malevolent compassion, which is the predominant ethic driving current legislation.
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(8:06 - 10:42) Further Discussion on Cultural Threats
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Continuation of the explanation of malevolent compassion, where societal compassion leads to the endorsement of evil.
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Fourth Threat: The consolidation of massive earthly power, not just by states but by multinational corporations and tech giants, which can control financial and social aspects of life, likened to imagery from Revelation.
(10:44 - 12:42) Unique Power Consolidation
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Discusses how modern power consolidation goes beyond traditional state power, involving tech and entertainment industries with unprecedented control over individuals' lives.
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Uses the imagery of the harlot from Revelation to metaphorically describe how malevolent compassion drives this power.
(12:43 - 21:56) Cultural Analysis and the Sixth Threat
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Fifth Threat: The rise of a demonic worldview, fostering division by categorizing people as oppressors or oppressed, reminiscent of the tactics used in the Garden of Eden.
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Introduction to the sixth threat, focusing on America being "addicted and soft, dependent and lost":
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Deliberation on using 'America' specifically due to the relevance of U.S. statistics.
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Discusses how cultural resilience and spiritual health are crucial for withstanding societal challenges.
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References Proverbs 29:18 again to illustrate the consequences of lacking vision, leading to unrestrained behavior in society.
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Connects the cultural shift away from a biblical worldview consensus to increased societal unrest and loss of self-control.
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Highlights the loss of the meta-narrative of God, which traditionally provided structure and meaning to life experiences in America.
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(21:57 - 22:11) God’s Rational Nature
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Emphasis on God’s rationality, contrasting with the irrational pursuits people engage in today.
(22:11 - 22:42) Unity and Diversity in God’s Character
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Discussion on how God’s nature combines unity and diversity, which might provoke anger or misunderstanding among listeners due to the complexity of these concepts.
(22:42 - 23:12) Diversity in Humanity
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Explanation of how diversity, even in physical characteristics, reflects God’s design, particularly in the unity of male and female.
(23:12 - 27:13) God’s Modus Operandi
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God creates with diversity but unifies for a purpose, leading to fruitfulness in all aspects of creation, from the inanimate to the living.
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Introduction to the concept of quarks as an example of diversity within unity.
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Discussion on how this diversity and unity are meant for fruitfulness, glorifying God through creation’s productivity.
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Contrast with human rebellion against this design, leading to a lack of fruitfulness and glory to God.
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Satan’s counter method is described as consolidating power, fostering dependency, and destroying fruitfulness among humans.
(27:13 - 27:41) Purpose of Understanding Cultural Threats
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The purpose of recognizing these threats is to know how to engage with and influence neighbors providentially near us.
(27:42 - 28:18) Assessing America’s State
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Introduction to the assessment of America under four characteristics: addiction, softness, dependencies, and lostness.
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Definition of addiction as a compulsion to repetitively engage with substances or activities that are unhealthy.
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Concluding remarks extending an invitation, likely for further discussion or engagement with the topic.